INTERVIEW - John Altman (Peter Pan)

I N T E R V I E W : J O H N A L T M A N

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

'Captain Hook' - Peter Pan at the Wolerhampton Grand Theatre

INTERVIEWS | Kyle Pedley

Panto Season is once more finally upon us, and to celebrate, we're launching a series of interviews with the stars of some of the Midlands' biggest panto productions. It's a stellar lineup for the region this year, beginning with the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and their production, Peter Pan. Having already chatted to Peter Pan himself - actor Ross Carpenter - this time round Kyle talks to arch-villain of the piece, Captain Hook, a.k.a legendary soap villain John Altman...

It’s been a tentpole year for one of British Soap’s genuine icons - John Altman, best known to millions over the past 30 years as ‘Nasty’ Nick Cotton in BBC’s Eastenders. Altman’s villainous alter-ego finally reaped his comeuppance and bowed out of the show during dramatic scenes as part of ’Enders landmark 30th anniversary live week in February this year, with the character succumbing to drug addiction and dying in the arms of long-suffering mom Dot Cotton (June Brown) in scenes which reflected Nick’s murder of Reg Cox in the show’s first ever episode. Having finally coming full circle with Nick in such heavy, dramatic and sombre scenes, a jump back to the whimsy and fun of Panto must have been a welcome change of tone for Atlman?

“Yes, it is! I’ve done many pantos over the years, so definitely - a bit of light relief I guess you’d call it.”

Chatting at the press launch of his latest Panto venture, Peter Pan at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre this December through January, Altman is quick to point out that he doesn’t think the shadow of Nick Cotton will be completely vanishing anytime soon, however:

“Of course there’ll be plenty of references to Eastenders and Walford etc. in the show as we go along though. You know, I’m sure the Chuckles will be throwing a few things in there!”

Altman refers to his fellow headliners for Pan, comedy legends The Chuckles Brothers, who themselves are celebrating a landmark of their own, this being their 50th year of panto performing. He fondly recalls previous forays into panto-land with the duo.

“I’ve worked with them before and I really enjoyed that, and I always used to enjoy watching them on TV, so it’s really good.

And it is important who you work with. It’s a long run - two shows a day, sometimes three in some theatres. So we’ve spent the last day or so together talking about old times, and about what’s going on at the moment, so it’s been good, good to ‘catch up with the lads’ again!

Hopefully we’re in for a good season.”

Altman’s penchant for playing bad sees him once again perfectly cast playing the dastardly Captain Hook for the Grand’s production, and it naturally led to asking if he has more fun taking on the scoundrels and scallywags of theatre and TV:

“I think so, yeah. That’s all I’ve ever played in Panto. I’ve never had a chance to play Prince Charming or anything like that.”

Except, perhaps, for a brief flirtation when awarded with the light-hearted accolade of ‘Rear of the Year’ in 2001 (which he shared with actress-presenter Claire Sweeney), a reminder of which elicits a humble response and hearty laugh from Altman…

“Yeah, I guess that was quite charming, I suppose!”

But in being so synonymous with such morally dubious characters, it had to be asked if the work ever bleeds into reality, as is so often heard of, particularly with soap stars, where some members of the public are unable to distinguish the work and character from reality and actor.

“Yeah, I get told off occasionally. But I think probably because I’m a bit nefarious people tend to stay away, as opposed to if I was playing a nice doctor in Holby City then they’d probably be coming up to me saying ‘See this scar I’ve got, doctor, it’s gone a bit dodgy…’

A mate of mine, Mark Wingett, who used to be in The Bill told me he’d be having a cigarette or something away from the camera and people would come running up to him saying ‘my house has just been burgled, can you help me!?’ and he’d have to say to them, ‘sorry, I’m an actor!’.

So from that point of view people do believe what they see on TV, but I’ve probably had it a lot easier because they don’t know if I’m going to bite their heads off verbally or tell them to clear off.”

It’s an appraisal Altman recounts in jovial spirit, and a warmth and gentility that pervades throughout our chat. There is none of Nick Cotton’s gristle or abrasiveness, nor any of the short temper and spitefulness that defines the equally iconic Captain Hook. Curiously prodding his way through a plate of selected sandwiches, inviting me to help guess exactly what is what amongst the assortment, it becomes evident as a real testimony to Altman’s skill as a character actor that such a thoroughly amiable and pleasant man has become something of a poster boy for villainous roles.

But any misconceptions of typecasting would do a disservice to the wealth of roles Altman has played over his career, as he is keen to point out himself.

“I’ve done many other parts in the theatre, and even in film. From bouncers to playing Billy Flynn in Chicago, and I played George Harrison in a film about The Beatles one time.”

He refers to pre-Eastenders 1979 biopic Birth of the Beatles, but quickly follows up with a host of other projects and commitments that are taking up his time now that Nick Cotton has hopped into a Black Cab to the great beyond below.

“I’ve been working with a band called Joan of Arc, they’re a female rock band, and [after Peter Pan] I may be going on a theatrical tour.”

It touches upon his lesser known musical background, something I’m keen to discuss with him further, asking if it will manifest itself in any way as part of this production of Pan?

“Yes, it will. You will be getting a rock number opening the second half. It’s called ‘You Better Watch Yourself’ and it will be adapted for the show, of course. It was written by the great Joe Bonamassa, who is just one of the most amazing guitarists ever.

I put him up there with all the greats - Townsend, Clapton, Jimmy Page - he’s extraordinary. He’s been playing since he was about 10, I think.

Check him out, he’s so good.”

Once again quick to sing the praises of others and support his fellow artists, amidst discussing his post-Pan plans, Altman also reveals he is in the process of finally penning a much more personal project.

“And I’ve also got a book coming out, an autobiography. I finally written it, or rather writing it now.”

Aiming for a Spring 2016 release, it adds to a busy, eclectic career and creative identity of which Nasty Nick and Altman’s gallery of rogues suddenly seems a much less dominant part of.

But before then, it’s back to the world of Panto and Captain Hook, with Altman on moustache twirling and hook swinging duties at the Wolverhampton Grand this season.

“It’s going to be great fun. I always like to try and work with a company that puts on a panto that’s good quality - costume-wise, set-wise, a full band as well, and [the Grand] is a beautiful theatre.”

It prompts a humorous recollection of less impressive productions and venues:

“A couple of times I’ve done panto… I won’t mention when or where, but I did one once and an actor friend of mine came along and said ‘Oh John, you were great, but this production… I really feel sorry for you!”

“So there are a couple of productions I’ve done along the way, that weren’t that good. But from the point of view of this show, it’s a beautiful theatre, and QDOS (Productions, who are producing the show) are great. They’ve been established for years and you can guarantee they’re going to put on a great show.”

So all those things drew me to Wolverhampton.”

And having been in so many such productions over the years, Altman went on to discuss how he keeps things fresh and exciting as a performer, giving some insight into the decidedly more rigorous and precise art of executing a panto production to perfection:

“I just introduce a little tiny line here or a word there, or even a look, just to change it slightly, to keep it fresh. There’ll also be bits where you might feel you’re not quite as strong as you want to be, so every I keep reinventing it slightly, not in a massive way.

Because people sometimes think panto’s quite loose, that you can make up what you want as you go along, but it isn’t. It’s quite strict in the sense that you’ve got to hit your lighting cues, your sound cues, the music cues. The set has to come in and out at a certain time and with a certain light, so for me, and it’s the same in any long run actually, I’ll try and improve on it in small ways.

Just adding extra gems rather than just sitting back on what you’ve already rehearsed.”

And for the labour of his efforts? Altman believes QDOS, the Grand and his company have a surefire panto success on their hands, and a must-see for theatre-goers of any age this Christmas:

“It’s going to be a great evening’s entertainment. It won’t be too long, about 2 hours I think, and it will have something for everybody - from the tiny ones to the old aged pensioners; come and have a ball.

Forget the weary troubles of the world and the cold dark Winter - come to Neverland and have fun.”

It’s hard to argue - a festive favourite featuring one of British TV’s most iconic bad boys taking on one of the most dastardly villains in all of panto panto land?

He’s got us ‘Hook’, line and stinker.

You can catch John performing as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Saturday 12 December 2015 through to Sunday 24 January 2016.

NEXT TIME: Kyle goes from 'Smee to You' chatting all things panto and funny with iconic comedy duo The Chuckle Brothers.

Run: Sat 12 Dec 2015 - Sun 26 Jan 2016

Tickets: 01902 429 212 / Official Website: click

#new #ticker